The History of Guitars: Ancient Strings to Modern Axes
From campfire circles to packed stadiums, the guitar has captivated musicians and listeners for centuries. But have you ever wondered how this six-stringed marvel came to be? Let's travel back through time and trace the guitar's remarkable journey…
Ancient Beginnings
Long before electric solos and power chords, ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians were strumming away on early stringed instruments.
Around 2000 BCE, musicians played the tanbur - essentially a long neck attached to a sound box with strings stretched across it.
If you squint, you can just about see the guitar's DNA.
The Medieval Remix
Fast forward to medieval Spain, where the Moorish invasion brought the oud - a pear-shaped, fretless ancestor of today's guitar.
Europeans gave it their own spin, adding frets and tweaking the design to create the lute, which dominated Renaissance music scenes.
By the 1200s, instruments actually called "guitars" appeared in Spain, though they'd look pretty strange on today's stages.
The Renaissance Rockstar
By the 1500s, the four-string guitar had become a proper hit across Europe. With gut strings and ornate decorations, these instruments were the status symbols of their day.
Spanish nobles favoured the vihuela - essentially a guitar-shaped lute that featured in royal courts across the land.
The Classical Revolution
Everything changed in the 19th century when a Spanish craftsman named Antonio de Torres decided the guitar needed to be louder. He created larger-bodied guitars with innovative internal bracing, essentially inventing the classical guitar we know today. Torres did for guitars what Stradivari did for violins - his designs are still copied by luthiers worldwide.
America Picks Up the Beat
When European immigrants brought guitars to America, something magical happened. Companies like Martin and Gibson started building instruments with steel strings rather than gut, adding X-braced interiors to handle the tension. These louder, punchier guitars provided the perfect voice for emerging American sounds like blues, folk, and country.
Plugging In
By the 1930s, guitarists in big bands had a problem - nobody could hear them…
The solution? Electricity!
Innovators like Les Paul and Leo Fender figured out how to convert string vibrations into electrical signals, and the electric guitar was born.
The Fender Telecaster (1950), Gibson Les Paul (1952), and Fender Stratocaster (1954) weren't just instruments - they were revolutions that would define the sound of rock, blues, country, and just about every popular genre since.
Today's Six-String Symphony
While today's guitars include everything from seven-string metal machines to carbon fibre travel instruments, the most popular models remain remarkably faithful to their 1950s ancestors. Despite all our technological advances, we keep coming back to designs that are now over 70 years old - proof that sometimes, you get it right the first time.
The guitar's story is one of constant evolution driven by musicians who needed something new - more volume, different tones, or just a fresh look on stage. From ancient courts to bedroom YouTube covers, the guitar continues to evolve while somehow staying true to its essential nature: a voice for anyone with something to say.
Get in Touch to Book a Free Trial Session
Based in Stratford, East London, we offer expert guitar and bass tuition for all ages and skill levels.
Looking to improve your playing or master new techniques? Click below to book your free trial session.
Looking to improve your playing or master new techniques? Click below to book your free trial session.
Call us at 02031434809
Send an email to lessons@guitartuitioneastlondon.co.uk
Guitar Tuition East London
8-10 Penny Brookes Street,
London, E20 1BN
8-10 Penny Brookes Street,
London, E20 1BN
